Belarus-China intergovernmental committee to convene in November

20 September 2018

MINSK - The Belarus-China intergovernmental cooperation committee will convene for a meeting in November, Belarus' Prime Minister Sergei Rumas said as he met with Zhao Leji, the member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, in Minsk on 20 September, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Rumas noted that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko met with China's President Xi Jinping in Qingdao in June 2018. The heads of state reaffirmed commitment to the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation based on the "iron brotherhood". "Plans are in place to hold a meeting of the Belarus-China intergovernmental cooperation committee during the First China International Import Expo and to discuss the status of implementation of the agreements reached at the Qingdao meeting," the prime minister said.

The Belarusian head of government welcomed the strengthening of the Belarusian-Chinese trade and economic relations. "Belarus' farm exports to China have increased. We are actively using container trains that go back from Europe to China via Belarus. We consider it our contribution to the development of the Belt and Road overland routes,” Sergei Rumas said. He stressed that the parties should cooperate to ensure that railway transportation could compete with maritime transportation.

The prime minister encouraged Chinese investors to invest in Belarus' industry and banking sectors on mutually beneficial conditions. “With regards the use of the Chinese preferential credit, we have some new ideas. Utilizing credit resources should be based on mutual benefit and market realities,” Sergei Rumas added.

Zhao Leji assured that China is ready to implement the consensus reached between the heads of state on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Qingdao and to further bilateral relations. “For the last few years we have reached great results in our cooperation. Our relations in trade and economy, investment, finances, science and education have gained momentum as well,” he added.

In January-July 2018 the bilateral trade between Belarus and China exceeded $2 billion, which was up by 27% as against the same period a year before.